Winter
by CotS
Summary: The search for food takes a dangerous turn...


Winter arrived rudely late one night, heralded by strong winds which tore down autumn's remaining leaves and sent them scurrying before its path. Lights came on in the camp as equipment broke loose. Those venturing out to secure it were greeted with a splattering of sleet which glistened like crystal confetti under the glare of the Lumalights. The cold breath of winter stole into every rip and crack in the tents and there was a sudden rummaging for extra blankets to ward off the chill.

Sleet changed to snow which fell for days before it reluctantly tapered off. Strong winds returned, driving the clouds away and piling snow into deep drifts which in some places rose to half the height of tall trees. The temperature dropped steadily.

The bio-dome rode the storm well considering its age but it could do nothing to shrug off the heavy snow that piled on top of it. The men were forced to periodically shovel off the buildup to keep the roof from collapsing on the group huddled below. As the storm raged, they had forsaken the privacy of their tents for the warmth and safety of the dome. Sleeping bags and blankets littered the floor in the front room. The camaraderie of the ordeal wore off in a few days replaced by the boredom of isolation.

Once the snow stopped, small groups, made up of two or three people, ventured out into the frozen wilderness to forage for food, expending more energy in the search then they were able to replace. Each day the same cold, barren, landscape greeted them. Deep snow sapped their strength and gave little in return. It seemed that life itself had relinquished the world to winter and retreated deep into the earth to wait for Spring.

There were days when no food was brought back into camp. On those occasions, the group that had assembled in anticipation of the search team's return would share their disappointment before they withdrew from each other, some to sit alone with their thoughts. Hunger remained an unwelcome companion shadowing their days and haunting their nights with dreams of food.

Dr. Julia Heller watched as symptoms of malnutrition began to affect all the members of the Advance Team. They had grown lethargic as their metabolisms slowed in an attempt to preserve precious heat and energy. She watched John and Devon give their portions of food to their children. She understood their motives but she worried about the risk they took with their own heath. Feeling the group's well-being was her responsibility, she grew more frustrated with each unsuccessful search, feeling a personal failure if there was nothing at the end of the day to put in their stomachs. The supplies were getting low and none of them had any idea how long winter would last on this strange planet.

Julia had insisted on accompanying each scouting trip. She traded her energy each day in the hope that her medical knowledge would uncover an early find, something edible they could take back to camp thereby eliminating unnecessary hours in the cold. More often than not, they would search long hours only to bring back meager samples which required extensive testing.

As soon as she returned from the day's search, Julia would retire with her collection to a small room at the back of the dome which she had claimed for a lab. Hours would disappear as she became engrossed in the mystery of unlocking each plant's potential.

Experiments would last late into the night as she continued to look for answers while the others slept. It was here that Alonzo would find her asleep in the morning, her head down on the table, amidst test tubes and slides. He worried about her as she drove herself relentlessly each night while still insisting on joining in the day's scouting mission. Her only rest consisted of short naps when she could find the time. His attempts to reason with her were met by a mindless determination. She had no energy to argue and wouldn't be swayed from her course.

Then one morning on a trip to find food with Walman and Danziger, it all caught up with her. The lack of food and adequate sleep weighed heavily on her as she tried to keep up the pace. After stopping to examine a bush, she looked up to see the men had walked away from her. They were each caught up in their own struggle of putting one foot in front of the other in the drifted snow and had not noticed she had fallen behind. She yelled for them to wait but they did not hear her. She was exhausted and wondered if she had the energy to catch up. Her lapse of concentration caused her to slip on a patch of ice and, losing her balance, she rolled down a steep embankment. The snow cushioned her fall so she was not seriously injured, just shaken from the close call. It was at the bottom of this ridge, where her passage had brushed back the snow, that she found the ancient Terrian frozen in the ice.

When the news of the discovery reached camp, Alonzo had been furious. He argued that she might have been lost or seriously injured because of Danziger and Walman's negligence. He crushed her own stubbornness for insisting on going when she was clearly exhausted. She had forgotten to wear her sunglasses after she had lectured them countless times on the danger of snow blindness and worst of all, she had no communication gear which, in these conditions, might mean the difference between life or death if someone was separated from the group. She brushed aside his concern, excited by the find. She was so occupied with the frozen corpse, she never noticed that he became withdrawn and sullen.

The problems caused by the Terrian's unearthing had deeply affected them all. Now they dealt with the consequences. One of these was the fact that the episode had robbed them of precious time in their search for food. The possibility of starvation loomed as the weather became threatening once again. It had warmed slightly for awhile but the morning awoke to find heavy, gray clouds, pregnant with snow, rolling across the weak sun. Alonzo went back to wake Julia for their scouting mission. He found her on the floor holding her stomach, doubled over with cramps.

"Julia, what's wrong? What is it?" He searched her face. It was coated in a fine sheen of perspiration grimly contorted as she struggled against the pain.

"Help me to the table. I'll be all right. I just need to take something." Bracing herself against him, she tried to rise but as another wave hit her, she trembled in his arms.

"What is it? I'll get it for you." and he helped her onto the cot.

She described the vial which contained a black liquid. When he brought it to her, she held it tightly, "I don't think I can go with you today. I'm not feeling well."

"Forget it. There's no way I'd let you. Look at you!"

"I'll be fine Alonzo, I just need to rest."

"You're killing yourself with these crazy hours. Promise me you'll stay in bed today."

She answered him with an edge to her voice. "Fine, I'll do that. Now just go, I'll be all right."

He hesitated, stung by the rude dismissal.

She looked at him, her pale blue eyes the color of glazed winter ice. "Alonzo, please, just leave me alone!"

The banging of the door was his only answer. Relieved that he left so quickly, she drank the vial's contents and impatiently waited for it to purge her body.

Alonzo stormed into the front room of the dome, his face was as dark and angry as the day's beginning. He was confused and hurt by her tone. He announced to the forms piled in sleeping bags, "Julia's not coming. I need someone to take her place."

There were grumbles under the blankets. Rising to meet the day was becoming impossible for some. If they could not eat, they only wanted to sleep.

Danziger got up. "I'll go with you. What's wrong with Julia?"

Alonzo looked down, not wanting to let his feelings show. "I don't know. She says she's not feeling well."

Devon joined them and she glanced toward the back room. "Did she say what was wrong?"

Alonzo waited until Danziger moved away. He felt more comfortable confiding in her. "No, she just took my head off when I asked. Devon, I found her doubled over. She looked really bad but she said she'd be all right after she took some medicine. She told me to leave her alone. I'm concerned about her, is that so wrong?" As Devon began to reply, he went on. "Maybe you can talk some sense into her. She won't listen to me."

Devon had intended to speak with him about the scouting mission. Now there seemed to be another problem which would have to be dealt with. She let him vent his feelings, he was clearly upset. "Ok, I'll talk to her."

He nodded, seeming somewhat relieved.

She went on to her real purpose, "Alonzo, I'm worried about the weather, I don't want you to go too far today and make Danziger keep his gear on. At the first sign of snow, come back."

He agreed and, as soon as Danziger was ready, they left.

Later, Devon knocked on Julia's door. Hearing no response, she pushed open the door. The room smelled sour. Julia had hung the collected vegetation from the braces that supported the dome. The room was dark, cluttered with plants and equipment, making passage difficult as Devon eased her way toward the form on the cot.

"Julia, are you awake?" As she got closer, she could see Julia's eyes were closed and she heard her rhythmical breathing which seemed to indicate the other woman was sound sleep. In the dim light, Devon studied her face, noting that fatigue had marked her eyes, leaving them sunken and circled with darkness, a stark contrast against the paleness of her skin. Alonzo was right in being concerned she thought as she reached down to feel Julia's face for fever. She lightly brought her hand under the hair that always seemed to be in the younger woman's face and gently touched her forehead, hoping not to waken her.

Julia's skin felt cool and damp under her own warm hand. She responded to the touch, by stirring slightly and groaning in her sleep. Devon leaned back thinking of how she would approach the subject later when Julia woke. She was concerned, too. Despite their friendship, there was the fact that Julia was an invaluable member of their group, her medical ability and continued resourcefulness had saved them on numerous occasions. Devon needed to know if something was wrong with the young doctor. For now, she had to be content with the fact that Julia was getting some much needed rest. She found another blanket and added it to the bed, tucking it around the sleeping woman before leaving quietly.

Morgan Martin sat in front of the computer monitor which displayed a topographical map of the area Alonzo and Danziger were scouting. He could track their location as they called in coordinates on the communication gear.

Devon came up behind him. "Any word from John or Alonzo?"

"They called in about 15 minutes ago." Morgan began to whine. "So far they haven't found anything. No food, no pass from this miserable valley, nothing, zero, zilch! I'm telling you, Devon, whoever said this planet was habitable didn't know anything about the winter, not to mention, thieving Grendlers, those killer rodents or the Z.E.D.s. We'll probably all starve to death long before spring so I don't know why we should even bother to look for a pass."

Devon was sorry she asked. "Morgan, everyone is doing the best they can. The worst thing we can do is give up hope." She turned away, hoping to end the conversation and saw Walman coming from outside, brushing snow from his coat.

"Man, you won't believe how hard it's snowing out there."

Devon brushed past him to look outside.

She heard Morgan in the background. "Oh great, just what we need more snow. We'll probably wind up like that frozen Terrian popsicle we found before we get a chance to starve to death."

A dry powder fell steadily. In the wind it snaked across the icy crust of the old snow like white smoke.

Devon felt uneasy about the look of it. She walked back to Morgan. "Where was the scouting party's last location?"

He indicated an area about 10 klicks from the camp.

Putting on gear she said, "Alonzo, John, do you read me?"

Danziger and Alonzo had found new tracks in the snow. These were different from any they had seen before. More than twice the size of John's hand, they were circular in form. Whatever it was walked on four legs. With raised MagPros they had been following the tracks for about 10 minutes when they came across an unnerving find. Devon's voice startled them as they stood looking at the scene before them.

Alonzo looked at Danziger, then swung the eye piece of the gear forward to get a visual. "I'm reading you, Devon. John and I have been following some strange tracks in the snow. The tracks brought us to a dead animal. It looks like it's been torn apart and partially eaten."

Devon was silent and Morgan's eyes grew wide as they took in the information.

Giving away the nervousness she felt, Devon fidgeted and began to pace. "I want you to come back now. You don't know what you're dealing with out there and it's snowing hard here at camp." For a few seconds there was no answer. "Alonzo did you copy my message about returning."

Danziger responded, "We heard you, we'll head back as soon as we figure a way to haul this meat back with us."

She put her hand to the earpiece wishing for privacy when there was none. She lowered her voice knowing the others were listening. "John, I think you should leave it. Whatever killed it might still be around."

He cut her off. "No way I'm leaving this meat, Adair!" Danziger snapped the gear off. "Come on, Alonzo, give me a hand."

Alonzo had shut off his gear, too. He felt uneasy as if something was watching him in the gathering darkness of the oncoming storm. "Maybe Devon's right, John. This doesn't belong to us. Whatever killed it might not like the fact that we're taking it."

Danziger gave him a disgusted look as he pulled a rope from his pack. "Yea, well too bad. If it wanted it that bad, it should have taken it." Seeing he wasn't convincing the other man, he said, "Look if we don't take it, something else will. This will feed all of us, Alonzo. I know I can't stand to see True go to bed hungry another night and didn't you tell me this morning that Julia was sick? This meat is the answer to our prayers, pal. We'd be crazy to leave it. If we get another storm like the last one, who knows how long it will be before we find anything to eat."

His words were prophetic as snow began to fall on them.

Alonzo was torn as he looked around one more time. "Ok, but let's hurry and get out of here. This place gives me the creeps. I keep feeling like something's watching me."

It watched with runny deep set eyes intensely following every movement as the men gathered the dead animal. They tied the carcass with ropes and dragged it, leaving a bloody trail in the snow. It was the scent of blood that the predator now followed from a cautious distance. The animal had never seen these creatures and had retreated when it first smelled their scent. It was still hungry and it followed, waiting for a chance to reclaim its kill.

Julia woke feeling drained. She was tempted to roll over and sleep until someone made her get up. Her eyes drifted over to the table and in her mind she began to analyze the results of her latest experiments. They had found a strange type of vegetation. The leaves were a leathery oval shape. The dead, dried remains of clusters of small red flowers surrounded a reddish type fruit. Analysis of the fruit showed traces of a protein structure which might be toxic. The plant did have nutritional value and with no way to determine how strong the poison might be, Julia had tried a small piece. Within minutes her body began to convulse. She hadn't expected such a violent reaction due to her enhanced genetic ability to stomach most foods and the small amount she had eaten. As a precaution, she had prepared an antidote. It was this that she directed Alonzo to after he found her.

The antidote had emptied her stomach until she was left dry heaving. It wasn't a pretty sight. It was a matter of pride that she didn't want Alonzo to see her in that condition. It was for this reason that she sent him away. Afterwards, drained from the near poisoning, she had collapsed into bed and fallen asleep. Now she felt guilty at the way she treated him. He had been so concerned about her and she remembered the hurt look on his face before he left. It was the thought of him that brought her out of bed. With one final look at the plant on the table, she dressed and went out front.

She was surprised to see the group assembled, looking tense. They just glanced at her as she poured water from the thermos. Cameron was closest to her as he sat at the table watching Morgan, Devon, and Walman by the monitor.

"What' going on?"

Cameron looked up. "Alonzo and Danziger found a dead animal. They're told us they're bringing it back but now we can't seem to raise them on gear. There's a bad storm going on and Devon's debating about sending us out to look for them. With Zero down for repairs, if they don't turn their gear on, there's no way to locate them.

Julia swallowed the water through a sudden lump in her throat. Putting the drink down she walked over to the monitor and touched Devon's arm. She caught the worried expression on the other woman's face as she turned but Devon managed to keep it from her voice.

"Julia! Are you feeling better?"

"I'm fine, Devon. What's going on with Alonzo and John?"

Devon avoided her eyes. "Well, you know Danziger, he refuses to wear his gear. We're having some trouble reaching them. It started to snow a little while ago and I asked them to come back. They said they would."

"And?"

Devon seemed distant, lost in thought.

Julia pulled her aside. "Devon, there's more to it than that; I can see it in your face."

Devon weighed her answer. Julia still looked pale and wasted. She didn't want to worry the younger woman but she knew Julia would keep on her until she knew the truth.

"They found an animal that had recently been killed. Danziger was insisting on bringing the body back. With this storm coming on, I advised him to leave it. He didn't like my suggestion and shut down. We're trying to reach them now."

Julia took in the information, thinking how the meat would sustain them. "Well, the meat would be an excellent source of protein. God knows, we need it but not if it means risking themselves. Why does he have to be so stubborn about staying in touch? Alonzo should know better."

Before they came to this planet, few of them had ever tasted meat. Back on the stations, real meat was a luxury afforded only to the very rich or powerful. Most people depended on a synthetic protein to meet their basic needs. Since arriving, the group would eat meat only if they would find something that had recently died. Many of them still did not care to eat an animal that had once been alive. As they grew hungrier, this began to change. Still they did not hunt to kill but only to gather nut, berries and other vegetation. There was an unspoken agreement not to anger the Terrians with any sort of deadly aggression since their presence was tenuously tolerated. Weapons continued to be used for defense only.

The wind outside grew stronger as the storm increased in fury. Both women shared the same worried thoughts as they were unable to reach the scouting team.

Finally, Julia spoke of the idea that had begun to form in her mind. "Devon, let me take a few of the others to their last coordinates. Maybe we can follow their tracks from there." Julia looked at the monitor. "We could take the Rail part of the way to save time. If they are weighed down, we should be able to catch up." She waited for her leader's decision.

Walman shrugged, "It's worth a try, Devon. I hate to just sit here."

Devon looked at them, debating. "Ok, Walman, but take Baines. Julia, I think you should stay here"

Julia was stunned. "Why? They might need me."

Devon motioned with her head for Walman to get going. Looking from Devon to Julia and then back at the older woman he sensed something was going on that he had no knowledge of so he turned and left.

Suddenly fearful at being left behind, Julia called out to him "Walman, wait for me. I'll be there as soon as I get the first aid kit." The doctor turned and hurried toward the back room.

"Julia, wait!" Devon caught her by the arm in the hallway. "Look, Alonzo asked me to talk to you. He's concerned about your health because of the way you're driving yourself and I agree. I know you mean well but I think, right now, you're in no condition to help. You might only hinder their efforts and I know you wouldn't want to do that."

Devon's words stung because she knew they were close to the truth.

Julia suddenly needed to explain. "Devon, I'm not sick from working too hard. I was just desperate to find something we could eat in the samples we brought back. There was one type of fruit which looked promising. It does have some nutritional value but the tests showed a mild toxin. I thought we might be able to tolerate it so I tried a piece. I guess my system is somewhat weakened from lack of food and rest because the reaction was stronger than I expected. I had to purge the poison out of my system so I took something to make myself throw up. I'm fine now."

Devon looked at her aghast. She raised her hand to stop the other woman from going on. "Wait a minute, Julia. Am I getting this right? You're testing this stuff on yourself?"

The young doctor felt suddenly defensive. "I know what I'm doing."

Devon shook her head not believing what she was hearing. "No, I don't think you do." Her voice was stern. "Julia, you are the one we depend on in an emergency. If something happens, if one of us is hurt, we need you to be alert and ready to handle the situation. Someone's life might depend on it. How are you going to do that if you're too sick to stand up? We might not be able to wait until you're feeling better."

The younger woman stood defeated in the face of Devon's logic. All her life she had been raised to believe that she must succeed whatever the cost. Her parents and the Council had both impressed this on her with harsh punishment for any mistake she made. Now she felt a deep sense of failure, knowing it was that same desire to succeed and her own impatience which clouded her judgment. Despondency magnified her error as she became a victim of her past. With Devon's reproach, she felt the loss of approval which meant a great deal to her. She berated herself with the thought that she had alienated Alonzo and put John at risk when he took her place. If she had been well this morning, they both might be safe instead of lost in the storm. With these thoughts tumbling through her mind she began to turn away feeling disheartened.

Devon caught her. Cocking her head to read her friend's face, she was surprised to see how hard Julia had taken her words. Her voice was suddenly tender, trying to find the words to soften the impact. "Julia, look at me. I know how hard you're working to find something we can use. I don't want you to think I don't appreciate your efforts, but putting yourself in jeopardy is not the answer. I need you to take better care of yourself. For all of us, ok?"

She watched her friend's face anxiously, trying to see if the other woman understood what she was trying to say. Julia shook her head, yes, still not trusting her voice.

Devon put her hand on the other woman's shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. "Good! Now let's get back and see if we can get everyone home safely."

Julia was not ready to let the matter rest. She knew if anything happened to her friends she would never forgive herself. In desperation she pleaded, "Devon, please, I need to go with the rescue team. Walman and Baines won't know what to do if John or Alonzo are injured. That might be the reason we can't reach them."

Devon looked into the other woman's pleading eyes, weighing her decision. In her own mind, she would feel better if the doctor went along but she had no idea if Julia was still sick and she wondered at the risk of sending her into a blizzard. "All right, I guess I'll have to rely on your professional judgment about how fit you are, but, Julia, there's to be no more unnecessary risks taken by yourself or the others. Promise me that." Julia agreed and rushed to get her equipment.

John and Alonzo were lost. Pulling the heavy carcass was exhausting work and they had tried to find a downhill route which would take them back toward the camp. As the storm worsened, visibility was cut to a few meters. They were unsure of their direction without landmarks to guide them.

Alonzo tried to raise the camp on gear. "I don't know if it's the storm or the fact that we're in a valley, but I'm getting nothing but static."

They were huddled with their backs against the driving snow.

He raised his voice above the sounds of the storm. "Maybe if we go back up the ridge the reception will be better."

Danziger face was fierce with determination. "I'm not leaving this meat, Solace, and I'm not going to haul it back up there either."

"Yea, well if we don't find our way out of this storm you might be hugging that carcass permanently, Danziger. I'm sure True would rather go to bed without her supper than her father."

Danziger glared at him.

Alonzo knew John wouldn't give in. "All right stay here. I'll follow the tracks back up and see if I can raise the camp. If I can give them our location, maybe they can bring one of the vehicles close enough to meet up with us."

Danziger shook his head in agreement. The pilot started back up the hill.

"Alonzo!"

The younger man looked back.

"Be careful."

Alonzo shook his head, wondering if he'd ever understand John Danziger.

As Danziger watched his friend disappear into the storm, Alonzo's words ate like acid into his resolve. With a sigh, he struggled to his feet and began to follow his friend. The storm would steal their meal but he'd be damned if it would steal their lives.

The Rail's wide tires dug into the deepening snow. Walman and Baines had been joined by Julia who sat tensely forward in the back of the vehicle. They drove the Rail as far as possible before the rough terrain made it necessary for them to resume the journey on foot. With help from camp, they were able to mark off coordinates and find the area where Alonzo and John first came across the dead animal.

Baines confirmed their location with the camp. "We found the area, you can still see some of the blood on the snow. There are two sets of tracks that must be Alonzo's and Danziger's leading off to the West. Looks like they're dragging the remains of whatever they found."

Back at camp, Devon felt relief for the first time all morning. "Great, do you think you'll be able to follow them without a problem?"

Baines shared a look with the other two before giving the woman ominous news "Not so great, Devon. There's another set of fresh tracks. I've never seen anything like them. Whatever it is, it's big and it's following our guys."

High on the ridge above, the creature watched. It sensed the two men were weakening. It saw them stop and then split up. One came back up the hill toward it. As the animal sniffed the air, the man's scent grew stronger. Inside its huge furry head, a primitive brain formed no plan. Actions were based on an instinctive knowledge gleaned from years of hunting and killing to survive. A lone target offered less risk and it moved to find a spot to ambush the prey.

Devon called Yale over to the group gathered by the monitor. "Baines, can you give us a visual on the tracks?"

Baines leaned down and swung his eyepiece out. The snow blurred the picture until he bent close.

Yale studied the prints, accessing his internal files. "Does there seem to be four distinct prints?"

"Yea, looks that way, Yale."

Yale turned to Devon. "Nothing we have seen so far matches these prints. Both the Kobas and the Grendlers walk upright. We know very little about what type of creatures exist on this planet. If you'd like, I can access Earth's creatures. I may be able to find something similar."

She nodded and waited as he downloaded and scanned the information.

In a lectured voice, he informed the group of his findings. "The prints resemble those of Earth's largest members of the order Carnivore. Some of those animals could grow up to 3 meters and weigh 780 kilograms. Species vary on feeding habits but I think it would be safe to say this one is a meat eater." He hesitated before adding, "These animals were known to attack man." He pulled up holographic images of different types of animals from his cybernetic arm. They all showed large beasts equipped with impressive claws and teeth.

"Oh God!" Morgan exclaimed. He looked around fearfully.

The bio-dome's thin walls seemed to offer little in the way of defense.

True ran to Yale. "Will it hurt my Dad and Alonzo, Yale?"

They had been so absorbed, they hadn't noticed the children had come in from the room where they were playing.

Yale was upset that True had overheard the conversation. He tried to ease her fears . "Not as long as they are together. Alonzo and your father are both strong men and they have the MagPros to protect them."

Uly ran to his mother. "There are monsters on this planet aren't there, Mom?"

Devon wrapped her arms around her small son. "No Uly, just creatures we haven't seen before. That doesn't make them monsters."

"Still, I bet Alonzo and Mr. Danziger will blow it to pieces with the MagPros" He began to shoot at unseen monsters with his imaginary gun.

With her eyes, Devon pleaded with Yale to take the children away.

He took his cue. "Come, children, time for your lessons. Let me tell you about a time when some of these animals were once trained to do amazing tricks."

True didn't want to leave without knowing what was happening to her father.

Devon bent down to reassure her. "It's ok, True, I promise I'll let you know as soon as we contact your dad. Baines, Walman and Julia are not far behind them so they should all be home soon."

True knew she was being told politely to stay out of the adult's way so she nodded and reluctantly joined Uly and Yale.

Back in the valley, the wind whipped the fine, frozen, precipitation in every direction, forming a condition known as a whiteout. Alonzo was numb from the cold. Small plumes of condensation rose from his labored breathing as he climbed through the deep drifts, leaning on the MagPro for support. As he reached the crest, he leaned the gun against a tree and fumbled in his pocket for the gear. His hands were so cold he had lost feeling in them a while ago. Cupping them to his mouth, he blew the heat of his breath onto his fingers, trying to warm them enough to handle the unit.

The wind driven snow stung his face. As he tried to adjust his direction for shielding, a huge shape rose in front of him. A tremendous roar blasted his ears. Instinctively he jumped, falling on his back in the snow. He raised his arm in defense trying to protect his head. As seconds passed without incident, he peered around his arm cautiously. A large animal, its dark fur coated and matted into an icy crust advanced close to him. When it caught his movement, it snarled menacingly, showing huge yellow fangs. Alonzo glanced toward the gun and his heart sank as he judged the distance. The animal was too close for him to reach it in time. The creature seemed to hesitate, unsure of itself as it grew close enough to touch. When Alonzo didn't move, it lowered its head and sniffed at his outstretched leg. Alonzo felt himself stiffen; he could almost feel the pointed fangs biting deep into his thigh.

The creature's head came up, testing the air. Danziger's panicked voice reached him from somewhere below. The animal became agitated. Alonzo knew it was a moment away from attacking him. He chose the second its eyes shifted to roll from it and he dove for the gun. The animal was on him in a second and its claws raked his shoulder, tearing easily through the jacket into his skin. The force of the blow slammed him into the tree and he fell at its base unconscious. The creature went for his neck to finish the kill.

Danziger raised the MagPro and it shook in his hand. He had decided a few minutes after Alonzo left to give up the meat. Following him up the slope, he wasn't far behind when he heard the roar. Calling his friend's name, he came running. Seeing the creature had not yet attacked, he froze, afraid of spooking the animal. He slowly raised his weapon. Snow melted against his face and steams of icy water ran over his brow into his eyes, blurring his vision as he tried to target the creature. He blinked hard, trying to clear his vision.

As he opened his eyes, he saw Alonzo roll to the side. Before he could adjust to the animal's movement, its huge paw lashed out, knocking Alonzo down. Danziger squeezed the trigger, praying he wasn't too late. The shot hit the tree above Alonzo, showering the animal with bark. It jumped back, startled by the noise and the impact. A second shot kicked up snow at the base of its feet. Confused by the noise of the assault and scenting the arrival of others, it turned and beat a hasty retreat. Danziger looked in the direction of the second shot. Walman stood with the gun to his shoulder, following the animal in the gun's sight. He popped off rounds to encourage its flight. Julia and Baines ran past him to the still form by the tree.

John approached, fearful of what he would find.

Julia looked up at him from where she knelt. "He's alive."

As they waited, she did a quick analysis on Alonzo's condition out loud.

"It looks like the animal's claws ripped his skin though the jacket. The extra layers of clothing may have protected him somewhat because there doesn't seem to be a great amount of bleeding. I don't think it's too bad but until I get his jacket and clothing off, I won't know for sure. There are abrasions on his face where he must have hit the tree, again these aren't that serious. We have to get both of you out of this weather. There's a real danger of frostbite and hypothermia from your prolonged exposure to the wind and cold."

She took her gloves off and brushed the snow from Alonzo's face, looking for signs that his skin was frozen. He groaned and began to regain consciousness.

Looking up into the concerned faces, he focused with effort. "Julia, what are you doing here?"

Relief surfaced in a gallows humor as Walman answered. "We heard you were bringing home dinner or was it something was bringing you home for dinner?"

Laughing, Baines added, "Seems that animal didn't like the taste of you, Alonzo, and just spit you into the nearest tree."

Danziger sighed, "And here I thought I was happy to see you guys."

"Well, we're happy to see you, especially if it means a hot meal tonight. So where's this banquet?"

Danziger looked from Baines toward the valley floor. "Down there. We couldn't reach camp on the gear. Alonzo thought we'd have a better chance up here. I wouldn't leave the meat at first so he came up alone. It's my fault this happened, Julia. We should have stayed together."

The pilot and the mechanic exchanged meaningful looks.

Julia was pulling thermal blankets from her backpack, she handed Danziger one. "The only thing that's important is that you're both safe."

Danziger watched her as he took the blanket. He thought she might be angry with him for what almost happened but he saw that she meant it. There was only a genuine concern for their needs.

She wrapped the other blanket around Alonzo, who was sitting up. Her diaglove indicated the men's core temperatures were below normal. They were both shivering as their bodies tried to generate heat. She would have given anything for a few chemical heat packs now but their supply was probably at the bottom of some grendler's stash.

"Baines, see if you can reach camp. Tell them to prepare two tubs of warm, not hot, water for John and Alonzo, foot baths for you and Walman. Also, plenty of hot drinks. Have Bess brew some of her herbal tea."

Danziger made a face. He hated that stuff.

Baines fooled with his gear.

Between the static, bits of Devon's voice came through. "Bain..did yo..fin.."

He wasn't sure if she was having as much trouble hearing him so he spoke loudly. "Devon, we got them. Alonzo lost some skin due to a close encounter with...." He looked to Walman for a name but the other man just shrugged "....whatever that thing was. Julia says he should be ok but she wants you to get some stuff ready " He went on to repeat Julia's instructions, hoping she understood him.

"Alonzo, can you walk if I help you?"

"I'm ok, Julia." He began to rise.

"No, you only think you're all right because you're half frozen and can't feel anything."

"Maybe, but I can still walk." He staggered a little getting to his feet and she took his arm and slid under it so that it draped around her shoulder. He began to protest but thought better of it.

"John, can you make it back ok?"

Danziger winked at her. "No problem, Doc. I can't wait for some of that herbal tea."

As Julia, Alonzo, and Danziger started back, Baines and Walman looked at each other.

Finally Walman said, "Hey, wait a minute. What about the food?"

Danziger replied, "Guess we'll have to leave it for now. Maybe come back for it later"

"But how are we going to find it?"

Danziger leaned close "I left my gear on it."

Walman wasn't sure he was happy with this until a mournful howl rose above the noise of the wind. With the sound came a sudden chill which made his hair stand on edge. They all looked in the direction of the cry.

"Yea, later's fine."

They went back the way they came, crossing a snow covered slope which pitched steeply downward. They walked carefully. Each step was placed with their weight shifted inward. With their passing, tiny balls of snow broke free, tumbling haphazardly down the icy crust. The old snow had been undercut by a thaw before being masked by current deep fall of pellet like crystals. The new snow was crusty, making traction possible but it added weight to an unstable mass with no firm base.

With Baines in the lead, Walman covered the rear, glancing back to be sure they weren't followed. Occasionally, he thought he saw movement in the shadows behind them but he couldn't be sure. It could just be a play of light caused by swirling flakes or the wind through the brush. The slope was studded with rocks and trees large enough to offer cover to anything not wanting to be seen. Unease grew until a muffled sound spun him around. He finally caught sight of the creature moving above them. Fear found a release and he fired the MagPro in the direction of the animal.

At first, he thought he had lost his balance from firing the gun. He tottered unsteadily as the ground seemed to shift. A deep rumble in the earth rose in tempo, engulfing him as the world seemed to slip away beneath him. He heard the others cry out before he plunged into a white oblivion. The vibration of the shot caused a cascade effect as loose snow gave up its tenuous grasp. The slope collapsed, carrying everything with it.

Julia slipped away from Alonzo and saw a brief flash of him as she was swept into the avalanche. She felt a terrifying sensation of speed and being hopelessly out of control as she plummeted for an interminable amount of time before something grabbed her by the right leg, a sudden anchor in the sea of her momentum. She felt the muscles and tendons in her limb strain and tear as her body fought to free itself before the pain took away her consciousness.

She woke to soft white light and an incredible need to breath. Gasping for air, she rose from a grave of loose snow. The sweet flood of air into her lungs was accompanied by an intense pain. The injured leg was entangled in a fallen tree. She cried out as she fell back, twisting in agony, caught in its unrelenting hold.

"Julia?"

Alonzo's voice was weak but it sounded close by. She sobbed as she turned her head searching for him. He was buried to his waist and was attempting to dig himself out when he heard Julia's scream. Eventually extricating himself, he crawled over to where she lay. He broke the limbs which imprisoned her leg. Her knee bulged at a terrible angle. He helped her to sit up so she could examine it.

She swallowed hard after surveying the damage. "My knee is dislocated. I'll have to push it back into place."

He seemed dazed. "What can I do?"

When she told him, he steeled himself to the task of holding her leg still while she tried to manipulate her knee. Without a pain block, she was in agony. Finally, it moved into place. She lay back, drained from the effort. He collapsed beside her.

"Alonzo?"

She leaned over and examined him. His jacket was wet with fresh blood. His wound from the animal attack was still bleeding plus he was suffering from hypothermia. He was very pale. Feeling his neck for a pulse, she detected a weak heartbeat. She hurried to stabilize her leg by splinting it with a few of the heavier tree branches, binding them with the scarf she wore.

When she finished, she shook him. "Alonzo, we have to find shelter."

He groaned, cradling his body with his arms against the cold. Desperately, her eyes searched their surroundings. She yelled for help but there was no answer.

She had no idea how far they had been swept or what had happened to the others. About 10 meters away from them, she could see a rocky area of cliff face partially covered with snow. Dragging herself to it, she found an overhang which offered some shelter from the weather. At one time, an animal may have used it as a den. There was a flattened area of straw-like material inside. She hoped it was abandoned but she really had no choice. It was the best she could find. Rising by bracing herself against one of the trees, she ripped some of the smaller limbs from a fir tree and tossed them close to the crevice before going back for Alonzo.

She begged, pleaded, and pulled, trying to arouse him. He seemed not to comprehend what was happening but her urgency motivated him enough, so that together, they stumbled and crawled their way to the rocks. She pushed him in first, telling him to lie as close to the wall as he could. Then she followed. Hampered by the stiffness and pain in her leg, she slid in beside him, pulling the branches behind her to cut off the wind. There wasn't much room but she was able to unfasten her jacket and shirt. She reached over and began to open his clothing.

"Wha...?" he began but his teeth chattered uncontrollably.

"Alonzo, I need to warm you immediately. You could die if your core temperature drops much lower."

His jacket was stiff with ice but she managed to remove his arms which she crossed in front of his body. Removing her own jacket, she used it to cover them both as she wrapped her arms around him, gathering him to her chest. She hoped the heat from her body would be enough to warm him. Under the circumstances, it was her only option.

Danziger had wrapped his arms around a tree the moment the mountain began to shake. As the ground fell away from his feet, he was left hanging by one arm as he used the other to snag Baines who had slipped by him. Fortunately, they were high on the slope and the snow that cascaded over them did not have enough force to break the big man's grip. Caught without anything to hang on to, Julia, Alonzo and Walman had been swept away. Baines and Danziger were lucky.

John Danziger didn't feel lucky. He felt like he was being slowly torn apart as he struggled to hold on to the tree and keep his grip on the other man's arm.

Baines was struggling to plant his feet on something solid. He lost his grip on the MagPro and it slipped away, sliding down the mountain before disappearing. Although it seemed to last forever, the rumbling eventually ceased and the flood of snow was reduced to a scattered trickle of small streams. Baines looked around, amazed to be alive. Danziger still held him in a death grip.

"It's Ok. John, I think we made it."

Danziger just stared at him, his hair, eyebrows and lashes coated with ice. He couldn't seem to work his hands so Baines had to break his grip. He looked around, feeling sick. The others were gone.

"WALLL...MANNN,.. JULL..LIA", with cupped hands, Baines called to them, but his voice was eaten by the wind.

He had lost his gear. Danziger had left his in the valley.

With no way to contact camp, he was unable to call for help. "Come on, man, I have to get you back, at least. We'll get the others to come back and look for them."

Devon paced the floor of the Bio-dome. "Why haven't we heard from them?"

The rest of the group sat watching her, they all imagined different scenarios but kept their ideas to themselves. Everything was ready, waiting for the rescue team's return. Bess tried a smile on a worried True. The little girl just looked past her to the door. Finally, the sound of the Rail outside brought them to their feet. The door flew open and in with the wind and snow burst two frosted forms. Baines, with both arms dragging Danziger, fell through the door. The others rushed to help him. Devon reached out and touched John's face which was blistered with frostbite.

"Dad!!"

True scooted under the adults throwing herself on her father. He tried to reach up to comfort her and let her know he was Ok but the effort seemed beyond him.

Yale took hold of the little girl. "True, you must stand back and let them help your father."

She submitted to his request. Her Dad was safe.

Devon looked past them. "Baines, where are the others?"

Baines allowed them to take Danziger away to the warm bath they prepared for him. He watched them go as he put off facing Devon. When he turned, his eyes glistened and his voice shook. "Devon, it happened so fast. John and I are lucky to be alive. The whole shanken mountain just collapsed around us."

She stepped back as if he hit her, her eyes wide with shock. "Baines, are you telling me that they're.." She couldn't bring herself to say the word.

"I don't know. They were there and then they weren't. All I remember is Danziger grabbed me and we hung there till it was all over. I called, but no one answered. Danziger was half frozen, we had no gear, no weapons... Devon, I didn't know what to do except try to save him."

She saw the agony of his decision reflected in his face. "You did the right thing." She hugged him, trying to reassure him, while she beat down the empty feeling of loss that was beginning to grow in her heart. "Get out of those clothes and get something warm to drink."

Bess hovered close by and handed him a warm drink. He held it, letting it warm his hands. His face was cast down above the steam that rose from the cup. Bess exchanged a look with Devon and they guided him to the table, prying the frozen jacket off. While Bess sat with him, Devon went to check on Danziger. Morgan came from Julia's lab where they had set up the tubs. He was carrying the mechanic's clothes.

Seeing the direction Devon was headed toward, he walked in front of her nervously. "Ahh, he's kind of indisposed right now."

Devon looked past him. She caught a glimpse of Danziger's pale body as they lifted him into the tub. "Morgan, this is not the time to worry about modesty. I have to know what happened out there. Baines seems to be in shock."

Morgan rolled his eyes.

Danziger was past caring at this point. The water was lukewarm, but it stung his skin. Every part of him screamed as feeling began to return.

Cameron met Devon at the door. "Without Julia, I don't know how high to increase the temperature or when to do it."

She patted him on the arm. "Ask Yale to access his medical files. He may have some information about frostbite."

Cameron shook his head and left to find Yale.

Devon took the hot drink that sat beside the tub. Kneeling down to afford Danziger some privacy, she cradled his head with her hand and brought the cup to his lips which were cracked and bleeding. "John, do you think you can manage to swallow some of this."

His head rolled back as he tried to focus on her.

"Please, try just a little."

He managed a few swallows before he began to choke.

"Ok, take it easy." She brushed back the golden curls which dripped as they defrosted. She hated to see him like this. How could she continue to hold out hope for the others when he hadn't been buried in the snow and was in this bad condition?

"The others..you have to try...to find them."

Devon took his face in her hands as he began to nod. Her eyes became intense as she willed him the strength to continue. "John, try to stay with me, do you think there's a chance they may still be alive? Baines said they were buried by the avalanche."

"Don't know..heard a shot...never saw the others...just Baines...can't remember..."

"John, I can't risk sending anyone else. If they're buried, we may never find them." Her hand shook as she moved it from his head.

He saw the torment in her eyes as she fought a bitter inward battle. "Adair...take Zero...thermal scan is still working. You can't...leave them. There might..still be a chance. Tell True...she can put the cap... back together."

True stood in the hallway watching and listening. She had to make Devon believe she was more than just a stupid little kid. She walked into the light. "I can do it Devon, Dad's right." She saw the sudden flare of hope in the woman's dark eyes.

"Ok, True." Looking back at the father, "You're sure the scan can detect them?"

He nodded and said softly so that True wouldn't hear, "If they're alive.., it will find them."

Walman lay in a white tomb. The weight of the snow pinned his body so that movement was impossible. He had landed on his side, tucked in an almost fetal position. The arm that shielded his face also trapped a small pocket of air. He figured this was the only reason he was still alive. The cold and diminishing oxygen level drugged his consciousness and he fought the urge to fall into a deadly sleep. He heard a scraping noise above him. They must know where he was and they were digging him out. Hope gave him the will to hang on.

Over a meter above him the sensitive nose of the creature detected a meal below it. It dug furiously, its huge clawed paws beginning to reach deep into the snow.

Julia jerked awake, momentarily wondering where she was. In the darkness, she was aware of the musty smell of wet clothing and the pressure of another body against hers. As she moved slightly, a shot of pain from her injured leg rudely jogged her memory. Alonzo still rested in her arms. She felt his breath, warm and steady against her skin. How long had she slept? No sound of the storm reached her. Had it stopped?

She adjusted her position enough to feel for a pulse in the pilot's neck. The beat was steady and stronger this time. Relieved, she refastened his shirt and gently lowered him to the floor.

She reached in her jacket pocket removing a packet of emergency rations and a Sedaderm cartridge before sliding away. She left her warmer jacket covering him. Donning his jacket, she was putting the articles in the pocket when her hand brushed his communication gear. She vaguely remembered picking it up from the ground and shoving it in his pocket before they started for the Rail. Her mind had been so dazed from the shock of avalanche and her injury that she hadn't remembered it was there. It offered a possible way out of their present dilemma if she could reach camp. With her arms, she pushed down the evergreen windbreak. Drifted snow had braced the limbs against the entrance. The enclosure had served its purpose, protecting them from the storm but it also isolated them from anyone who might be looking for them. She was surprised to see the snow had stopped, the wind was gone and it was dark.

Using the rock face, she rose and gingerly tested her leg. It was stiff and painful but not unbearable. She wanted to find a more open area so the communication equipment would be free of interference. She limped in the direction of the slope.

Not far from her position, Walman was battling for his life. The oxygen level was just about gone and he was very close to freezing to death. The digging sound seemed so close but he heard no voices. Suddenly he felt something jar his arm and the cover of snow broke enough to allow a small current of fresh air to reach him. He was barely able to raise his freed arm enough to gaze under it. The sight that greeted him was not what he had expected.

Devon never had time to consider her options. Bess almost collided with her and True in the hallway in a rush to tell her the news.

"Devon, Morgan has Julia on gear. She and Alonzo are safe......well, kind of safe. Alonzo's suffering from exposure and Julia hurt her knee, but they're alive."

Recovering from the surprise at this miraculous turn of events, Devon hurried to grab a headset. Cutting into Morgan's link, she was relieved to see the younger woman looked well enough, considering the ordeal she had gone through. The strain of the day caught up with her and she felt her knees go weak with relief. She leaned heavily against the table. "Thank God! Julia, we're on our way to get you. Morgan has a fix on your position." She glanced at Martin for confirmation and he shook his head in agreement. "Stay where you are, we'll be there shortly."

Julia frowned, "Devon, Morgan said Danziger and Baines made it back. What about Walman?" Through the eyepiece, Julia could see Devon looked troubled.

"We don't know. John said they never saw what happened to any of you. Since you and Alonzo are safe, there's a possibility that he may be also. We'll be prepared to mount a full search. John told me the thermal scan on Zero is operational so if he's alive we should be able to find him. Julia, I'm leaving now, if you want, Morgan can stay on-line with you."

"No, I'm ok, I want to go back and check on Alonzo. There will probably be interference so tell Morgan not to worry if my signal fades. I'll watch for you."

She swung the eye piece away, shutting off the sound but leaving the device on to be tracked. She was turning to go back when the faint sound of a human cry reached her.

Walman watched in panic as the monstrous creature thrust its paw toward him, snarling in frustration that he was just beyond its reach. The animal's claw had just managed to shred the outer part of his jacket. Occasionally, it would thrust its head into the hole but he was well beyond the gaping fangs. The beast began to dig again, trying to widen the hole.

Walman's cry was faint but it carried in the still night air. "Nooooooooo!"

Julia limped slowly in what she thought was the direction of the sound. "Walman?" She edged her way through the trees. "Walman, is that you? Can you hear me?" She stopped, sensing rather than hearing something close by in the darkness.

The animal crouched, abandoning the hole and Walman at the sound of her approach.

The animal began to move, circling just beyond her vision, with an almost supernatural stealth. Moving only when she moved, stopping when she stopped, its paw raised in mid-air. It gained ground steadily. The darkness worked in the creature's favor for it hunted equally well in day or night. The woman was disadvantaged with limited sight. The animal recognized her uneven gait as an injury and smelled the blood on the jacket. It became bolder and more aggressive as it moved closer and she remained unaware of the danger.

Hearing nothing, she sighed and thrust her cold hands into the jacket's pockets. As she swept the landscape with her eyes she was suddenly aware of the animal's movement. She froze, seeing a dark shape moving toward her. The creature was aware of her notice but its eyes remained fixed and it came swiftly, exploding out of the dark toward her. She turned to run but her leg gave out and she fell in the animal's path.

Alonzo missed Julia's warmth and reached for her to find only emptiness. He thought he heard her calling so he wrapped the jacket around himself and stumbled into the night. His shoulder was stiff and painful, the only reality he felt as he followed her prints in a numb, almost dream-like state. He stumbled across the drifted bank. The trees and rocks were starkly defined against an unbroken covering of crystal power. Finally, just ahead, he saw her form silhouetted against the snow. She turned as if to run and fell.

"Julia....!" he started to call for her to wait but his words were lost when he caught sight of the beast.

It lunged at her. For a moment, both forms merged into one before falling from his sight.

Will drove a body he no longer seemed to control. His journey took on a surrealistic quality as he crested a small rise and found the creature's still form sprawled half way down the incline. Julia was trapped under its weight and was attempting to free herself. The quickest way down was on the seat of his pants. As he reached them, he grabbed the animal's fur to break his momentum and slid to a stop in a shower of crystal flakes The animal's eyes stared blankly ahead. Its tongue hung limply out the side of its mouth.

Alonzo tore his gaze from it and desperately searched Julia for an injury. "Are you hurt?"

"Aside from being a bit mashed, I don't think so. Help me get it off."

Grasping the fur and pulling together, their combined strength moved it enough for her to squeeze out.

Panting from the exertion, they lay side by side until he caught his breath enough to ask, "I don't understand, what happened? I saw it attack you."

She gave him a tight smile as she reached to pick up something that lay on the ground beside her. Her hand still shook with residual fear as the memory of the animal charge replayed in her mind. She held the object up to him and said with bravado, "Full sedaderm canister, set on maximum. A good doctor is always prepared. It should be out for quite a while."

Shaking his head in disbelief, he took her hand in his, "Let's not wait to find out if you're right. Why did you go off alone anyway?"

The words spilled from her. "Alonzo, your gear was in your jacket pocket. I forgot all about putting it there. I made contact with camp. They're coming for us." She grabbed him, remembering "I heard a cry just after I signed off and I think it came from this direction. Devon said Walman is still missing." She looked back at the animal. "You don't think it could have..."

"I don't know. I don't think it would have attacked you if it had eaten." He shivered at the thought that it might have devoured Walman.

Julia misread his reaction. "Alonzo, switch jackets. You don't come anywhere close to fitting in mine. How does your shoulder feel?"

"It's sore, kind of burns, too."

She could tell the injury was still painful as he grimaced when he removed her jacket and put his own on. "I'm afraid it might be getting infected. I wish they'd hurry." She got to her feet and leaned on him and they slowly made their way to the top of the hill.

It was his sharp eyes that caught the break in the snow's surface. Small mounds surrounded an indentation. "Julia , stay here." He ran off to investigate and she saw him kneel and lean into the hole. "Julia, it's Walman!" He looked around for something to dig with and when he found nothing, he cupped his hands and dug furiously.

Baines and Devon found them both trying to free Walman. Their combined effort soon had their friend free. While Julia thought him lucky to be alive, it would be a tense battle to keep him that way. Walman was barely conscious. Alonzo and Baines carried him as best they could while Devon supported Julia on their trip back to the Rail.

They raced back to the bio-dome knowing every second counted. From the Rail, Devon contacted the Rover, telling them the missing group members had all been found and they could turn back. Danziger listened from camp and contacted Cameron who was driving the Rover. He told him they were only a quarter mile from his gear signal. It was a shame to waste a trip out, with the room and manpower available, they could bring home a meal. Without Devon's knowledge, they voted for Danziger's suggestion and kept going. Fortunately, there were no more problems. The Rover and its cargo of frozen meat arrived back about an hour behind the Rail.

Those that remained in camp were enlisted to help care for Walman and Alonzo. Although the pilot insisted he was fine, Julia made him sit in a warm bath. Walman remained her top priority but she stole time for Alonzo, monitoring his core temperature and increased the water temperature as his readings returned to normal. She also managed to clean and stitch his injury and shot him with a synthetic antibiotic she concocted. His skin was red around the wound and it weeped with a yellow discharge. She would have to keep a close eye on it in the coming days.

Bess had managed to cook a little of the meat. Julia cautioned about eating too heavily since they were not used to such rich fare. It would be best if they tried a broth first. She had tested the meat and found it rich in protein. It would hold them for awhile and supply the strength the injured needed to heal. Walman responded well to treatment. The position he landed in no doubt contributed to fact he was still among them. He was packed in warm rocks and they would take turns watching his condition during the night.

Catching Alonzo's concerned expression as he followed the young doctor with his eyes, Devon finally called a halt to Julia's activity. "Enough for tonight. Walman's stable, you said so yourself. Everyone is taking a shift to watch him. Baines and Danziger are asleep and Alonzo would be if he could stop worrying about you. "

The young woman looked over toward the pilot and found him watching them

"Why don't you take a hot bath too. You've been out in the cold almost as long as the others and shouldn't you be off that leg?"

Julia gave in. As the situation grew less grave and things slowed down, she began to realize just how tired she was. With Devon's help, she immersed herself in the hot water, letting the heat soak into her body and replace the cold. She found herself nodding and was glad Devon stayed with her. It would be too easy to fall asleep and drown in her exhausted condition. She only took enough time to rewrap her leg and get Devon's promise to wake her if there was any change for the worse in Walman's condition, before she fell into bed. She was asleep before the older woman tucked the covers around her.

Devon was beat, too. She wanted to check on everything one last time before she retired. As she entered the front room, she checked with Magus who assured her Walman was sleeping peacefully. Danziger and True were huddled close in sleep and she was sorry she hadn't the time to tuck her own son in. She knew Yale would care for him in her place. Despite the grief she had given him, she was glad Danziger had given them all a full stomach to sleep on tonight. As she made her way to her room, she was surprised to find Alonzo still awake in his sleeping bag.

Reading his mind she told him, "Julia's fine. She took a hot bath and is sound asleep as you should be."

He smiled at her, "Thanks for taking care of her, Devon."

Feeling like everyone's mother, she replied, "You're welcome, now go to sleep!"

He lay down, pulling the bag close around him and slept soundly.

Alonzo woke just before dawn. Trying to get back to sleep proved futile as the previous day's events replayed in his mind. The memory of the creature's attack on Julia still haunted him. He had come so close to losing her. Too restless to sleep, he got up. Denner just glanced at him from where she sat in vigil of Walman. He went back to Julia's room, feeling a need to see her safe. He walked quietly and knelt beside her. In sleep, her look was one of a frail woman-child but he knew better. Each day brought him a new awareness of her strength and courage. She was smart, beautiful, resourceful and caring, like no other woman he had ever known. He wanted to touch her so bad but he was afraid he'd wake her.

Somehow she must have become aware of him because as he looked at her, her eyes fluttered open. She stared at him a moment before she woke fully and began to sit up. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

He rushed to reassure her, pushing her back down. "No, everything is fine. I just thought I'd check on you. I missed you."

She smiled suddenly and opened the covers to him, inviting him inside her bed.

"What about your leg?"

"I'll make sure it doesn't get in the way."

He slid in next to her and she jumped suddenly.

"Alonzo, your feet are freezing!"

"Sorry. It's cold out there. Maybe you can warm me up like you did in the cave." He tried to sound serious. "There's one thing I want to know. Do you treat all your exposure victims like that?"

She teased him back, "Of course, that's one of the reasons why I became a doctor. Speaking of which, how does your shoulder feel? "

"As good as new."

She looked at him skeptically

"Honest, you're incredible doctor . Do you know that?" There was a sudden desire in his eyes.

"Don't you dare pop your stitches!"

They slid down under the covers and their love making took on a new intensity as they each beat back the shadow of death and celebrated life. His passion for her had intensified, taking her to new heights. She rode his strength, matching it with her own ardor, feeling the heat build until at last it exploded inside her. She drifted in ecstasy, transported to some other dimension for a time.

Winter lost its hold that night. In darkness, life woke to the warmth of a lover's touch and began a journey into the light of a new beginning.

**-The End-**


End file.
